ABC News admits paying $200,000 to accused murderer Casey Anthony

[Newsjock]

Source: Poynter Online

ABC News has admitted that it paid accused murderer Casey Anthony $200,000 in exchange for exclusive rights to video and photos. The network denies that the payments also included agreements for interviews.

The revelation came in a Orlando court hearing Thursday. The hearing was aimed at trying to determine if Anthony is broke and needs financial help to mount a defense.

The payments from ABC News were made in August 2008 while Casey Anthony was under investigation but not yet charged with the first-degree murder of her toddler, Caylee Anthony. A grand jury indicted the mother in October 2008.

ABC stations have repeatedly aired the images and video but have not, until now, revealed the long-rumored financial arrangement behind them. Anthony's lawyers told the judge about the ABC payment in a closed door hearing last fall. Thursday, the judge ordered the information be made public in open court.

Read more: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=179888

[frylock]

1. fuckin vampyres

[O is 44]

2. Sick! n/t

[DJ13]

3. She wont see a penny of that

Her lawyers will take it all, so thats just less money the state will end up giving her defense team.

[Fleshdancer]

6. I don't care who sees the penny, the fact that anyone would see a penny is gross

I've always said that I'm disgusted at the idea of privatized prisons because no one should legally capitalize on crime. Same with this scenerio...how in the hell do we as a society allow such crap?

[DJ13]

10. Im sorry, but until she's found guilty she's still considered innocent

I wouldnt be too quick to take that away from anyone, no matter what they might have done.

Thats not a good idea.

[Fleshdancer]

11. guilty or innocent, a person is dead and this isn't entertainment.

I'm not taking anything from anyone accept the ability to capitalize on a potential crime.

[DJ13]

12. Do you believe in innocent until proven guilty, or not?

Deny it to one, deny it to all.

I know she's accused of something horrific, but in our system she is not guilty just because she's accused.

[Fleshdancer]

13. Ok hold on one minute

I'm not judging anyone guilty or innocent. Go back and read my posts...I simply don't think ANY PROFIT SHOULD BE MADE ON THIS. Regardless of who is innocent or who is guilty, is it a good idea for a network to pay for rights to this story?

[DJ13]

15. Im saying she wont profit, the state will in the end

They have to spend on an adequate defense, and when the prosecutor announced he was seeking the death penalty that automatically increases the cost of a defense 10x (on average).

That money wont ever touch her hands, the defense will take it and relieve the state of that much of the obligation they have in paying for an adequate defense.

Besides, if a person is only accused and not yet convicted how can anyone stop this kind of thing without violating their rights?

[Fleshdancer]

16. I'm saying that it's wrong regardless of who profits

I don't want ABC to pay anyone for this story. I honestly don't want anyone to profit off of this.

[aquart]

4. Yeah, what a scoop. What a great deal.

No dog vomit pictures available?

[Fleshdancer]

5. What The F***???

A woman charged with murdering her child is NOT entertainment. What's next? Televising her entry into the colosseum? Nevermind. My life is probably better off if that question is never answered.

[Initech]

7. But some people would have you suspect otherwise!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x474302

Um... where have I heard this story before?

[LiberalFighter]

8. From what I gathered they are petitioning the court to continue

providing the same level of defense even though they ran out of money and she weren't financially capable of defending herself before it all happened.

At taxpayer expense.

[upi402]

9. Privatized prisons, Campaign funds for elected judges, and this crap

American justice has completely lost the plot. Even the DoJ is taking that statue a bit too literally - blindfolded.

[Fleshdancer]

14. exactly. n/t

[Incitatus]

17. So how do Son of Sam laws come into play?

Can you make money from crimes you are accused of, but not yet convicted for?